Easy Halloween Crispy Rice

These easy crispy rice treats are a festive and colorful addition to any Halloween gathering. They combine classic marshmallow and butter flavors with vibrant green and purple hues, creating a fun and playful look that kids and adults alike will enjoy. The spider web decoration made from melted marshmallows adds a spooky twist that makes these treats stand out, perfect for parties or just an indulgent autumn snack.

I first made these during a Halloween party a few years ago and the kids were amazed by the spider webs. It quickly became a go to treat whenever we want a fun seasonal dessert.

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray: to prevent sticking and ease cleanup
• Marshmallows: Two 12 ounce bags of marshmallows that help bind the cereal and add sweetness pick fresh marshmallows for best melting
• Unsalted butter: Six tablespoons cut into pieces for even melting and a creamy texture
• Gel food coloring: Green and purple gel food coloring for vibrant concentrated color gel is preferable to liquid for bright shades
• Crispy rice cereal: Nine cups of crispy rice cereal which provide the signature crunch and hold the shape well
• Semisweet chocolate chips: Half a cup for melting and piping spider legs choose good quality chips for smooth texture
• Spider bodies: Halved chocolate covered peanuts or black or orange jellybeans for spider bodies adding a fun decorative touch

Instructions

Line the Pan:

Line a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with foil letting the foil hang over the edges by an inch or two. Spray the foil lightly with nonstick cooking spray so the treats easily lift out later.

Melt the Marshmallow Mixture One:

Remove half of the marshmallows from one bag and set them aside for later decoration. Divide the remaining one and a half bags evenly into two large microwave safe bowls and split the butter between them. Microwave one bowl for about 45 seconds until the marshmallows start melting stir and microwave again for 30 seconds until completely smooth. Stir in green gel food coloring until the mixture is evenly green.

Mix the Green Cereal:

Add 4 and a half cups of crispy rice cereal to the green marshmallow mixture. Stir thoroughly to coat every piece of cereal with marshmallow evenly.

Melt the Marshmallow Mixture Two:

Repeat the melting process with the second bowl of marshmallows and butter in the microwave then add purple gel food coloring to create the purple marshmallow mixture.

Mix the Purple Cereal:

Add the remaining 4 and a half cups of rice cereal to the purple mixture. Stir until the cereal pieces are completely coated.

Layer the Treats:

Spray your hands with cooking spray or wear disposable gloves for easier handling. Using one hand for the green mixture and one for the purple randomly place dollops of each colored mixture into the prepared pan. Distribute them so the colors form mottled layers rather than blending together. Press the mixture down firmly and smooth the surface.

Let Set:

Allow the treats to cool and set at room temperature for at least one hour until firm.

Prepare the Work Surface:

Use the foil overhang to lift the set treats from the pan and place onto a flat surface. Flatten the foil to create your decorating workspace. Trim the edges to neaten with a serrated knife if desired and slice the treats into nine rectangles with small spaces between each on the foil.

Make the Marshmallow Webs:

Place the reserved half bag of marshmallows into a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave about 45 seconds then stir microwaving an additional 30 seconds until completely melted. Cool the melted marshmallows just enough to touch without burning your fingers.

Pull the Webs:

Wearing disposable gloves pull a handful of marshmallow from the bowl and rub it between your hands. Stretch the soft marshmallows until they form thin web like strings. Pull and drape these strings over the treats from different directions to create an eerie spider web pattern.

Melt Chocolate for Spider Legs:

Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave at half power for 30 second intervals. Stir well between melts until smooth and liquid.

Decorate with Spiders:

Transfer melted chocolate to a piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe eight spider legs on each treat and place a chocolate covered peanut or jellybean cut side down on top of the legs as the spiders body.

My favorite part of this recipe is the pulled marshmallow webbing. It's mesmerizing to stretch the sticky sweetness into delicate strands. It always brings back fond memories of Halloween nights filled with laughter and creative fun at the kitchen table with my kids.

Storage Tips

Store the treats in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days to keep them chewy and fresh. Avoid refrigerating as it can make them harder. If you want to keep them longer wrap tightly and freeze for up to a month thawing at room temperature before serving.

Ingredient Substitutions

If you cannot find gel food coloring you can use conventional liquid food coloring but add it sparingly to avoid thinning the marshmallow mixture. For a nut free option substitute jellybeans for chocolate covered peanuts as spider bodies.

Serving Suggestions

These treats pair perfectly with a cold glass of milk or a warm cup of hot chocolate for a cozy Halloween night. Serve on a platter alongside other festive snacks such as pumpkin shaped cookies and caramel apples for a spooky dessert spread.

These colorful spider web rice treats are an easy festive dessert to make with kids. They are perfect for Halloween parties and simple enough to prep ahead.

Your Recipe Questions Answered

→ What gives the snacks their vibrant colors?

Gel food coloring is stirred into melted marshmallows to achieve bright green and purple hues in the crispy rice layers.

→ How is the spider web decoration created?

Melted marshmallows are pulled and stretched into thin strands over the cooled treats to form a delicate web-like pattern.

→ What ingredients add the spider legs and bodies?

Spider legs are piped from melted chocolate, and chocolate-covered peanuts or jellybeans serve as spider bodies on top.

→ Why use disposable gloves during preparation?

Gloves help keep hands sticky-free while shaping the marshmallow and cereal mixtures and pulling marshmallow strands for decoration.

→ How can the crispy rice layers be evenly mixed and set?

Melted marshmallow and butter mixtures are thoroughly stirred into rice cereal, then pressed into a foil-lined pan to cool and firm up over an hour.